Forget traditional job postings and digital platforms: in rural Scotland, the real hospitality business is still done face-to-face. That’s according to Lewie Graham, a young entrepreneur who’s warming the hearts of the people of Galloway with his specialty coffee and pizzas.
Mission Impossible in the Kitchen: When You’re Running a Culinary Empire at 27 (And Can’t Find a Chef)
What does courage taste like at twenty-seven? It has the bold aftertaste of a freshly brewed espresso, the toasty aroma of an artisanal blend, and—let’s face it—the chill of someone who finds themselves managing a kitchen staff in the middle of the Highlands without being able to find a chef for the evenings.
Lewie Graham is now a familiar face in southern Scotland. Together with his business partner Robyn Goodare, this young whirlwind of energy has transformed the charming port town of Kirkcudbright into a small culinary hub. This isn’t just any place: here, you can seamlessly move from Feast—a cozy café by the harbor—to the local coffee roastery Kirk-Coo-Brew, and then cross the street to their Italian restaurant, Portobello. All while managing a team of about twenty people. Not bad for a guy who started running his own business at just twenty-four years old.
Between Postcard-Perfect Scenery and the Staffing “Fever”
Life in the Scottish countryside has its immense perks. Those living in big cities look to places like Galloway, dreaming of an idyllic escape: affordable living costs, a vibrant tourism scene, a quality of life that constantly feels like a vacation, and a climate (surprise!) that’s decidedly milder than you’d think.
But running a restaurant outside major urban centers presents tough challenges, especially when it comes to HR and staffing. Post an ad online and hope the perfect candidate falls from the sky? Forget about it. “The search was nearly impossible without word of mouth: there’s no way to post a digital job ad and find the person you’re looking for”, Lewie tells the BBC. In small communities, recruiting is all about connections, relationships, and reputation on the ground. If you head two hours further north toward Edinburgh, the situation changes, but here, every hire is a tailor-made achievement.
A Recipe Based on Trust (and the Local Area)
Despite the chronic shortage of kitchen staff and the challenges of a harsh, quiet winter, Lewie’s assessment is decidedly in favor of “yes.” Investing here costs a third of what it would in major cities and offers a creative freedom that would be pure utopia elsewhere.
The secret to the success of Kirkcudbright’s small culinary empire lies not only in the quality of the ingredients but also in building strong relationships with people:
- Staff turnover is virtually zero: Full-time employees have been there “forever,” consider the restaurant their own project, and leave only for legitimate educational reasons.
- Authentic values: For Lewie, running a business isn’t just about turning a profit, but “helping people find the job they want.”
For now, lovingly reined in by Robyn’s advice, there are no plans for grandiose new openings: the focus is on consolidating what already exists, keeping everything “within reach.” After all, when you have a recipe that works, the only golden rule is not to burn it.
